Supreme Court 4 - Dred Scott V. Sanford 1857

During the "Decade of Crisis" Dred Scott sued for his freedom. Having lived in a free state and territory Scott claimed that he should be granted his freedom. Helped throughout the process by the family of his original owner Peter Blow, Scott had moved through Illinois and the Wisconsin territory, both of which were free. he traveled with his second master's family - the Emersons. Ultimately, Irene Emerson moved to Massachusetts giving Scott to her brother John Sanford. Four years before the Civil War the Supreme Court will rule that Scott is not a citizen of the US and therefore cannot bring suit. The court side stepped the issue.